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Columns

Movie Review: The Suicide Squad (2021)

The Suicide Squad is a movie that I fell deeply in love with. Similar to Free Guy, this was a movie that I watched multiple times before coming to college. Because of its timely release, it became a comfort movie to me. Within the first month of release, I had watched the movie, in its entirety, five times. In 2018, Guardians of the Galaxy director, James Gunn, was fired from Marvel for some decade-old raunchy and offensive tweets. Due to the failing efforts from DC Comics and Warner Bros. in kickstarting their own superhero universe, they were eager to employ the talents of someone who had experience and knowledge on the subject. They hired Gunn to direct the film, and I gained one of my favorite DCEU films in recent memory and possibly my favorite movie of this year.

The 2021 film was a pleasant surprise for me. The plot centers around the multiple supervillains of the DCEU universe that make up the Suicide Squad. Despite there being a lot of contenders, only a couple of villains get fleshed out enough to be considered main characters. Those being, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), and King Shark (Sylvester Stallone). This group is tasked by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) to infiltrate the enemy-ridden island of Corto Maltese and find The Thinker (Peter Capaldi), the evil scientist in charge of the mysterious “Project Starfish.”

There are a lot of amazing details to go over in this movie. Namely, the characters. The ones that survive get backstory and development that gets tied up into a nice character arc. It does not matter if this is their first on-screen adaptation/appearance or if they have been witnessed by an audience before. Each of these characters gets time to shine and be amazing. Gunn goes as far as to humanize each and every villain, too. He does not let you see these characters for their bad deeds but how the bad deeds of others or loved ones caused them to become what they are today. Some have never known anything different than this criminal life. I believe a movie is only as good as its characters and because I love these characters, I believe that should testify to the skill of Gunn’s writing. 

One of the staples of director James Gunn is his soundtrack musical choices, and the wild humor implemented into his superhero films. With that said, the jokes in this movie are genuinely hilarious. Gunn’s sass and unique charm shine through each and every character and situation. It’s because of this humor that the movie does not take itself seriously. It fully acknowledges its comic-book origins and takes it to heart, going wild with deaths, violence, gore, characters, and situations. As mentioned, the soundtrack is remarkable! Each song fits so perfectly in the scene where they are used. From Grandson’s Rain to K.Flay’s Can’t Sleep, this movie can boast an amazing soundtrack. 

In terms of personal favorites, Ratcatcher 2 was amazing. Also, Rick Flag, whose character was made so much better throughout this film. Having Starro as the main villain was a plot point that I thought was extremely stupid, but just silly enough for Gunn to pull off. Fortunately, he did it magnificently. I absolutely loved the opening and final battle scenes. Once I got over the shock of the opening, it helped me mentally prepare for this cinematic rollercoaster.

David Ayer’s 2016 Suicide Squad was quite the flop since the movie was hastily written, causing it to be disjointed, and had terrible special effects and one-dimensional characters. Luckily, this new movie pushes that degradation far from our minds by giving us a soft reboot and introducing better characters and stories to the DCEU. I highly recommend this movie, despite its odd appearance. It has a heart and should provide everyone with a good time.

Final Grade: A

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Stories In Focus

FEATURE: Student Council

The Student Council is a vital and fundamental part of the student body at Houghton College. They are a collection of students that represent the various aspects of being a student at Houghton, such as a representative from athletics, academics, and each class, etc. In an interview, Cassie Cavell (‘23), the Representative for the Class of 2023, echoed this statement, saying, “Student Council is a peer-elected group of students that represent the student body as a whole in all areas of life at Houghton.” 

According to the coordinator of the Student Council, AC Taylor, the Student Council has a significant role in aiding all Houghton students to have a voice when it comes to events, conditions, and circumstances here. He remarked that “Student Council represents student concerns and opinions to the institution through councils, committees, and relationships with administrators.” 

The Student Council, once known as SGA, or Student Government Association, has observed a few changes in 2021, including their office space being renovated and a name change. While Cavell stated that “the office actually did not physically move,” she did note that, “it just got remodeled and renamed over the summer! The CEO’s (chief executive officer or someone in a higher leadership role) new space features inviting glass doors on which our office hours are posted. We love the grand conference table as it incorporates our mission to hear every voice. There are also chairs for hanging out and chatting.” This inviting and comfortable space can be found exactly where the SGA office used to be, for any students interested in voicing a concern or wanting to get in touch with any of the representatives or members of the Council.

Being a member, as any of them will tell you, is a rewarding and honorable position, meant to ensure all students at Houghton College feel connected to all the administration, faculty, and staff. Class of 2022 Representative Hannah Heinl (‘22) explained that elections for the Student Council will be held on Thursday, February 24th, with petitions beginning on Monday, January 31st and closing on Monday, February 14th. Heinl also added that during the Monday, February 21 Student Council meeting, candidates will be able to give their speeches.

Cavell also commented on the election process and what an interested student should reflect on: “They should evaluate their current experience in leadership, communication skills, advocacy, and self-motivation.” There are several tasks members are required to complete each week, including sharing feedback, utilizing office hours, and continuing projects; it is no task to be taken lightly.

Another member of the Student Council, Haley Dejager (‘22), the Athletics Representative, stated, “Whether you have limited leadership experience or lots of it, I think the student council is a great opportunity to serve your fellow students! Be prepared to dedicate a couple of hours a week to various council and committee meetings. There’s also a team atmosphere in which members collaborate on many projects, while still maintaining a personal agenda specific to an individual’s role.” Even when the tasks and expectations flow in regularly, the Student Council members work together to support each other and keep each other going. Dejager also stated, “Most importantly, I really enjoy the feeling of making a difference on our campus. Knowing you’re making a difference and being able to see that difference come to life is a really great thing to experience.” While it has many responsibilities, it is a respectable and significant position to have at Houghton College, and any student hesitating to campaign should head over to the newly renovated office space named the Campus Engagement Office, and speak with any of the members there.   

Taylor encourages students who are interested in running to, “Go for it! The institution wants to know what students are thinking and feeling and the Student Council is the go-to structure.” Dejager also stated, “Most importantly, I really enjoy the feeling of making a difference on our campus. Knowing you’re making a difference and being able to see that difference come to life is a really great thing to experience.” While it has many responsibilities, it is a respectable and significant position to have at Houghton College, and any student hesitating to campaign should head over to the newly renovated office space named the Campus Engagement Office, and speak with any of the members there. ★

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Letter to the Editor Opinions

Finding Yourself in a Distracted World

Distractions. In 2022 with social media, an abundance of things on your list to do, and the fear of shutdowns, distractions are unavoidable. I’ll admit the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is check my phone — it’s a terrible and an addictive habit. I’ve heard many different versions of the same thing: if the first thing you do in the morning is look at your phone, you’re doomed. Okay, so that’s not exactly what I’ve heard, but the essence of what I’ve heard was that it was a horrible habit and it should be done away with immediately. But what should you do to replace that habit?

 In one of my classes this semester, fellow classmate Sarah Halvorson mentioned how they started enjoying a cup of coffee in the mornings with a new activity: staring at their wall. Now to some, that may seem ridiculous. There’s so much to get done! How could one possibly waste time and stare at a blank wall, letting their thoughts take over them? My professor, filled with wisdom and always knowing what to say, replied to my classmate with “Ah yes, we are human beings, not human doings.”

And so there I was, in the middle of a class that was supposed to be about narrative and personal essays and I found myself struck with this earth-shattering new thought process: I just have to exist. That’s all I need to do in order to be considered a human being. How refreshing! So often we might find ourselves wrapped up in expectations; ones we have placed on us from jobs, parents, professors, friends, families, significant others, and even ones we place on ourselves. How do we find the time to just exist? The time to sit in our rooms and stare at blank walls, to roam around with no destination, to let our minds run wild in all the thoughts we avoid during the day-to-day, too concerned with what we have to do.  Am I saying you have to look at your wall every morning? Nope. But I am suggesting you find time in your day to simply exist — or even find time in your week to start, because this isn’t something that comes naturally to us anymore and might take some training. Forget about the to-do lists, forget about the obligations and responsibilities. Of course, you can’t forget about those things forever, but the key to this is to find the balance that works for you and for your life. Maybe it seems impossible for you to fit existing into your full schedule, and if you’re sitting here reading this article and finding yourself in that position, then this is exactly the thing you need to hear. When I look back on the past four years here at Houghton, I don’t remember every homework assignment I had, I don’t remember every shift I was scheduled or every thing I checked off my checked list. I remember the moments I truly enjoyed. I remember taking a break from homework to go get Chinese food with a friend, I remember sitting in Java for a few hours and not getting anything done, but simply enjoying the atmosphere. That is what I encourage everyone here at college to do. Take time to enjoy every day, even if that means you stay up five minutes more just to give yourself that time. I can’t promise it will solve all of your problems, I can’t even promise it will make you happier, but I can promise that your body needs those breaks. If you take anything from this article, I hope it’s this truth: you are more than a human doer. You are a human being. So take the time to just be.

Distractions. In 2022 with social media, an abundance of things on your list to do, and the fear of shutdowns, distractions are unavoidable. I’ll admit the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is check my phone — it’s a terrible and an addictive habit. I’ve heard many different versions of the same thing: if the first thing you do in the morning is look at your phone, you’re doomed. Okay, so that’s not exactly what I’ve heard, but the essence of what I’ve heard was that it was a horrible habit and it should be done away with immediately. But what should you do to replace that habit?

 In one of my classes this semester, fellow classmate Sarah Halvorson mentioned how they started enjoying a cup of coffee in the mornings with a new activity: staring at their wall. Now to some, that may seem ridiculous. There’s so much to get done! How could one possibly waste time and stare at a blank wall, letting their thoughts take over them? My professor, filled with wisdom and always knowing what to say, replied to my classmate with “Ah yes, we are human beings, not human doings.”

And so there I was, in the middle of a class that was supposed to be about narrative and personal essays and I found myself struck with this earth-shattering new thought process: I just have to exist. That’s all I need to do in order to be considered a human being. How refreshing! So often we might find ourselves wrapped up in expectations; ones we have placed on us from jobs, parents, professors, friends, families, significant others, and even ones we place on ourselves. How do we find the time to just exist? The time to sit in our rooms and stare at blank walls, to roam around with no destination, to let our minds run wild in all the thoughts we avoid during the day-to-day, too concerned with what we have to do.  Am I saying you have to look at your wall every morning? Nope. But I am suggesting you find time in your day to simply exist — or even find time in your week to start, because this isn’t something that comes naturally to us anymore and might take some training. Forget about the to-do lists, forget about the obligations and responsibilities. Of course, you can’t forget about those things forever, but the key to this is to find the balance that works for you and for your life. Maybe it seems impossible for you to fit existing into your full schedule, and if you’re sitting here reading this article and finding yourself in that position, then this is exactly the thing you need to hear. When I look back on the past four years here at Houghton, I don’t remember every homework assignment I had, I don’t remember every shift I was scheduled or every thing I checked off my checked list. I remember the moments I truly enjoyed. I remember taking a break from homework to go get Chinese food with a friend, I remember sitting in Java for a few hours and not getting anything done, but simply enjoying the atmosphere. That is what I encourage everyone here at college to do. Take time to enjoy every day, even if that means you stay up five minutes more just to give yourself that time. I can’t promise it will solve all of your problems, I can’t even promise it will make you happier, but I can promise that your body needs those breaks. If you take anything from this article, I hope it’s this truth: you are more than a human doer. You are a human being. So take the time to just be. ★

Jacie is a senior majoring in writing with minors in Psychology and Photography. Her favorite things in the world are rainy days, iced coffee, a good Spotify playlist, and books!

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Opinions

LGBQ Inclusion: Community Covenant Amendment

The words “homosexual behavior” need to be taken out of the Community Covenant. Placing “homosexual behavior” within this context equates it to premarital sex and adultery. It is a vague statement which singles out lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) students.

Houghton College’s Statement of Community Responsibilities reads: “We believe that Scripture clearly prohibits certain acts, including drinking beverage alcohol to excess, stealing, speaking or writing profanely or slanderously, acting dishonestly, cheating, engaging in occult practice, and engaging in sexual relations outside the bonds of a Biblical understanding of marriage, including premarital sex, adultery and homosexual behavior” (emphasis added).

Luke_QuoteEquating “homosexual behavior” with premarital sex and adultery hyper-sexualizes LGBQ students’ lives. Recent Graduate, Wynn Horton, said, “By condemning homosexual behavior alongside these others we denigrate it in certain ways,” pointing out that it makes it sound only lustful and foolish. Premarital sex and adultery are both explicitly sexual acts, but “homosexual behavior” is not exclusively about sex. There is much more to a “behavior” than sex.

There are straight students kissing, holding hands, and snuggling around campus. Whether these public displays of affection are desirable is besides the point. The point is they are happening and no “rules” are broken. What does this mean for LGBQ students? The vagueness of this brings many questions. What does “homosexual behavior” mean? What about two men dating on campus, a lesbian student with an off campus fiancée, or, perhaps in the future, a married lesbian or gay couple enrolled on campus? Additionally, how will lesbian or gay alumni couples feel about returning for homecoming and reunions? In an attempt to answer some of these questions, Michael Jordan, dean of the chapel, said, “I want to be clear that the Community Covenant by itself does not restrict LGBQ dating behavior that is not explicitly sexual.” The issue, however, is that the language of the Community Covenant does not adequately communicate this and so these questions still raise doubts in the minds of LGBQ students.

The college’s Same-Sex Attraction: Our Community Voice document outlines community beliefs, acknowledges differing views, and says how people should be treated. It states “… we ask for [LGBQ] students to respect our perspective for the sake of our communal life together. This would mean being especially sensitive to public displays of affection.” While this document is progress, this passage further perpetuates the view that LGBQ students must hide in the “closet,” while their straight peers do not.

LukeWhile the intention may not be to single out LGBQ students, it nonetheless does. By saying “homosexual behavior” and not mentioning heterosexual “behaviors,” the Community Covenant alienates LGBQ students from their peers. Jordan pointed out, “Statements about celibacy and chastity are of course problematic for all 18- to 22-year-olds, no matter their sexual orientation.” Yes, this is true, if the statement were about only chastity or celibacy. However, within their context, these two documents seem to be prohibiting more than just sexual relations, even if that may not be the intent.

The passage in the Community Covenant should be rewritten. Horton said the “passage could easily be rewritten to serve the college’s purpose while maintaining its loyalty to a Christian heritage.” He suggests changing the last part to “‘…and engaging in sexual relations outside of the bonds of marriage.’” This simpler, condensed version still maintains the essential meaning, but does not single anyone out.

According to Kim Cockle, student life administrative assistant, to make such change to the

Community Covenant, requires it to be brought to the Student Life Council as a policy change, then taken to the faculty, and ultimately to the Board of Trustees. To stand in solidarity with their LGBQ peers, students should bring this amendment proposition to the Student Life Council, in the form of a petition or in person at a council meeting. It would still condemn illicit sexual relations for Houghton Students, but diminish the hyper-sexualization, clear up the vague language surrounding the issue, and improve the climate for LGBQ students on campus.

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News

Obama Proposes Free Community College

Last week in the State of the Union Address, President Barack Obama outlined America’s College Promise, a plan to “lower the cost of community college — to zero.”

According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, the proposal aims to waive tuition for community college students who maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA and “make steady progress toward completing their program.” The plan applies to both half-time and full-time students and includes certificate, associate, and bachelor’s degrees. The plan would cost the federal government an estimated $60-billion over ten years, which would cover 75% of projected costs, while participating states would be asked to fund the other 25%.

358209_Obama-Community-College.18Dr. Linda Mills Woolsey, Dean of the College, who said she has “mixed feelings” about the plan, described it as a “well-intentioned” attempt to “meet a projected education gap” and to “make sure that there’s access to education for people from all economic backgrounds.” Woolsey said doing this solely through the community college system, however, encourages the mass-production of education,“we’re imagining a kind of Henry Ford type way to get students through their first couple years of education.”

Eric Currie, Vice President for Enrollment Management, said while initially the plan might “create a challenging moment” for Houghton, the already existing “great transfer processes” Houghton has with community colleges will be an important asset. Currie said Houghton is likely to continue to prioritize the continued development of online programs and of the Buffalo campus of Houghton, both of which more closely meet the needs of the demographic of students primarily targeted by America’s College Promise.

President Shirley Mullen said her primary concern is the current prominence of cost in the dialogue about higher education would make it “easy for the idea of a free two-year college to just be too tempting for students for whom that really isn’t the best option and not the only option,” and usually the rhetoric about cost “underestimates the impact of [four year] education on even one’s financial resources over the long haul.” She described a sadness in the potential loss, not just for Houghton, but for all students pursuing higher education if the proposal draws students away from four-year learning communities that in general provide “a more coherent education overall.” However, Mullen also said, “we would like to have more transfer students” as they often bring a greater appreciation for Houghton and a more focused drive. Currently, transfer students make up 18% of incoming students and 15% of the student body.

Currie said while he supports anything that will bring education to more people, he would have liked to see the government offer to pay two years of tuition for eligible students at any college that was able to meet a given price cap. “I would say challenge us all to rise to the occasion. Not just community colleges,” said Currie. “Challenge whoever is willing to go and make it happen…I think that that edifies some of the best things about our society which is innovation, entrepreneurship…and the kind of take charge personality, and yet still meeting people’s needs.”

The needs of the people are not just financial. Woolsey said she embraces the social good of widely-available free education, but is not sure “it will do what we want it to do if in the process we lose the richness and variety of higher education.”  Woolsey said, “These small private colleges and even some of the midsized, private Christian colleges offer an education that’s more varied, sometimes more creative, and certainly more focused on the individual.”

Though at this point it seems highly unlikely that the proposal will make it through congress any time soon, Currie said, “Whether it’s President Obama or the next President or the President after that, I think that something like this is going to come through…it’s on the radar in the federal government and in the state governments that they feel that they really want to have an impact on this issue, and I think they feel it’s important.”

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Opinions

Enrollment and The Hail Mary Pass

A Vanderbilt University study concluded colleges that had recently closed had enrollments of fewer than one thousand students and endowments of under $50 million. Many were religious institutions such as Bethany University in California. First year student enrollment drastically dropped – by 10% or more –  at more than a quarter of U.S. private four-year colleges over the past two years, according to the Wall Street Journal. Higher education experts foresee a death spiral for small private schools due to an overreliance on tuition revenue and a scarcity of large endowments.

JFGVHoughton College has been affected by low enrollment over the past several years. Last year, Houghton missed their enrollment target and the administration enacted austerity measures such as staff layoffs, closing of floors in dorms, and cutbacks to underperforming academic and sports programs. Houghton has survived more than a century of wars, depressions, and social changes. The problems faced today are found within rapidly changing local and national demographics. As Western New York loses 1% of its population every two years and families move south, the possibility of a vibrant local enrollment diminishes. In addition, our winters make Houghton a tough sell to out-of-state students.

The national numbers are even more implacable. As high school graduating class size declines, those who graduate are deciding in larger numbers not to attend college. Private liberal arts schools continue to be dominated by white, female students. At open access colleges, which accept at least 80% of applicants, enrollment for African-Americans and Hispanics doubled in the past decade.

Religion in America is also changing, according to Pew Research. In 1955, our country was composed of 70% mainline Protestant faiths. Today, Protestants account for 50%. Catholics and non-denominational Christians are now up to 36%.  Houghton College and Dean Michael Jordan have been very accepting of all Christian faiths, but Houghton should include our Christian diversity more when promoting the school.

The dawn of online education also hurts enrollment. According to a Babson College survey, 32% of students nationally had enrolled in an online course. To add fuel to the fire, many liberal arts schools have simply priced themselves out of the market. Tuition costs have risen beyond the inflation rate and the ability to find a job to pay off debt has severely diminished due to a poor job environment.

Every problem has solutions and Houghton has responded with many positive initiatives to assist in this year’s enrollment, which is up 10%, or about thirty students, from last year’s numbers.  The increase can be attributed to an agreement with Indiana Wesleyan to launch Houghton education online, a newly opened associate’s degree program in Buffalo, the Loan Repayment Assistance Program, and an increased effort to attract foreign students in Hong Kong. These endeavors have moved the football down the field a few yards, but more students can be added at a low cost. Houghton would score a touchdown by using its best asset.

Through a generous gift by the Kerr-Pegula family, we have trumped nearly every college in the Northeast with our athletic facilities. Houghton has also spent a lot of money to complete the project. There has been a growing population of students who play sports at Houghton. According to Skip Lord, Houghton’s Athletic Director, 25% of students participate in athletics, with a goal of a 33%. The ratio is excellent, but consider elite academic schools such as Haverford College and Williams College with nearly 40% of their students playing varsity sports. Athletics attract students to come to campus, stay on campus, take up residence, and buy Houghton sports themed apparel. Our teams recruit players at camps and give Houghton visibility. Houghton athletes establish recruiting pipelines from their former high schools. Coaches have a distinct advantage of selling the college over an admissions officer as athletes and their parents are easily swayed by the opportunity to play at the next level.

Recently, the addition of several new sports has helped enrollment. Of those additions, baseball has been the biggest success adding more than 30 students. Coach Brian Reitnour has recruited students from Colorado, Washington, New Jersey, Tennessee, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Canada and British Guyana. We could add more students by relaunching low-cost, official JV teams. Sports like soccer and baseball are ripe for JV programs and could add 50 students. Houghton is well known for its equestrian studies and runs one of best equestrian summer camps. Could not Houghton mirror the program and competition schedule of Centenary College of New Jersey, which packs ninety students on the equestrian team?

However, the enrollment touchdown pass for a small college is to add a football team with a promise of over one hundred new, paying students. Since 2009, over 40 new college football programs have been added. Many programs have helped small private schools such as Hendrix College reverse the enrollment death spiral. Seton Hill also found enrollment in football. The school’s president noted to The New York Times, “I could have started a spiffy new major of study, spent a lot of money on lab equipment and hired a few new high-powered professors; I might have gotten 25 more students for that. Instead, I started a football team, brought in hundreds of paying students, added a vibrant piece to our campus life and broadened our recognition factor.” College football is a game changer for small schools. Besides just boosting enrollment it can eliminate low male ratios and attract new Christian minorities and ethnic, Catholic students that might not consider Houghton. Football can also add a 25 person cheerleader squad and a 60 student marching band to our vibrant music community.

In sum, Houghton doesn’t have to be a small school casualty. We must acknowledge that demographic shifts and technological changes are moving rapidly and are beyond our control. With our athletic facilities, Houghton College has distinct advantage to reverse a national trend. How we react and adapt to those trends will be how our future is determined.

 

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News

17 Students Enroll at Buffalo Satellite Campus

The addition of a satellite campus in Buffalo is one of the hanges that have happened recently at Houghton. This campus provides an opportunity to receive a 2-year Associate of the Arts Degree through Houghton College. Upon graduation, students are granted automatic admission into the bachelor’s program at Houghton’s main campus, should they choose to accept.

BuffaloSkyline 2Currently, there are 17 students enrolled, representing five different areas of the world. Several of the students are refugees who have been living in Buffalo for less than six years, from places like Burma, Thailand, Congo, and elsewhere, according to Dean of Extension Studies, Scott McClelland. Many of these students are first generation students who are learning English during their pursuit of higher education.

Both Houghton’s Buffalo program and Houghton itself, McClelland says, were created as a means to provide an education about the broader world in a Christian environment. McClelland quoted the mission of Houghton Buffalo as “…providing our educational distinctive to students who are economically diverse.”

This education being provided is as diverse as the students themselves. According to Houghton Buffalo’s page on the Houghton College website, courses are offered in fine arts, theology, mathematics, and others, all in Buffalo. These courses are taught by a combination of current full-time professors, and local Adjunct professors who are familiar with the Buffalo area.

In addition to professors, there are other Houghton members and alumni assisting in the start of program. Director of CASA, Mark Hunter works closely with the students to help them with their English vocabulary skills, while professor Laurie Dashnau offers the services of the Writing Center to Buffalo students on Fridays. Three recent Houghton alumni, Amanda Wojcinksi, Elizabeth Wallace, and Roxanne Kehr also provide daily tutoring sessions through the AmeriCorps program. Programs such as tutoring sessions and other programs help the students transition into their new life as they move between two cultural contexts every day.

The Buffalo area, particularly within church populations, has already recognized Houghton as a college community for providing tutoring services and service learning opportunities in the region. With the development of the new Houghton Buffalo program, members of the Buffalo community have an opportunity to be reached in a way they have not experienced before.  McClelland says, “Now we have become neighbors, with an educational site to help urban students as Houghton students. The difference is huge.”

The program also looks to make sure that Houghton Buffalo students aware they are part of a larger college community in addition to the Buffalo community. Students will be making three trips to Houghton’s main campus this semester, where one of the courses is being taught. Looking toward the future, McClelland also says that he hopes to establish some sort of video conferencing to help tie the colleges together.

Video conferencing is just one of the ways that McClelland hopes to integrate the two campuses in the future. As Buffalo students come to Houghton to be a part of the larger community, McClelland would like Houghton students to know that they have an opportunity to be part of the revival in Buffalo as well by participating in the semester at Buffalo program that the college offers.

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Opinions Two Views

Two Views: Are Non-profit Careers Necessary for Christian Students?

It seems quite natural to assume that a Christian’s vocation lies somewhere in the nonprofits.  Their goal of serving the public seems to mesh well with the Christian calling of serving others.  Why would any Christian look for employment in a company that exists to maximize shareholders’ wealth?  Well, if this model describes all for-profit companies, then that general assumption would be warranted; however, many charitable organizations are finding that the for-profit model allows them freedom, and that this extra freedom is worth any tax incentive that the government can offer.

cicNIKA Water, a small for-profit bottled water company, donates 100% of its profits to bring clean water and safe sanitation to less developed areas around the world.  Jeff Church, Co-Founder of NIKA, claims that the for-profit model allows them more autonomy over their giving and doesn’t tie them down to donors.  He stated, “NIKA’s model is one that doesn’t need to rely on economic cycles or donor priorities but rather it uses the market place to create the profits which are then contributed back into the causes.  Businesses such as NIKA are challenging to get to a critical mass level but if done correctly they can result in a steady stream of profits to be donated.”

NIKA isn’t alone in their philosophy.  Companies around the country are foregoing the tax benefits and other incentives of a nonprofit and adopting the for-profit model.  Toms Shoes, commonly mistaken as a nonprofit company, adopted the model for similar reasons.  Blake Mycoskie, founder of Toms, stated, “We’ve never had to ask anyone for a donation and that shows that you can sustain giving through the power of commerce.”  This charitable trend towards the for-profit model has led to the creation of two new entities: the benefit corporation and the L3C.  These dual-purpose organizations focus on turning a profit as well as creating a general public benefit.  The tax exemptions vary for each, and though there are obvious issues with the dual-purpose model, I mention these new types of corporations because of what they highlight.  They show that society is seeing business in a new light.  People are starting to understand both the importance of the profit seeking model and the importance of using it for the public good.  All this to say, if Christians limit themselves to seeking only nonprofit work, they are not only failing to see the big picture, but could also be missing out on for-profit companies who are just as focused on serving the public.

Now, for the Christians who have no issue with the whole for-profit vs. nonprofit debate but still find “the helping professions” more noble than the others I would again say the same thing.  It’s not that going into the medical field, missions, or any of the obvious helping professions (as I’ve termed them) is wrong but it is important for Christians not to limit themselves based on their preconceived ideas of a worthy calling.

A passage from Matthew comes to mind: “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.”

Why do I mention this?  Because in the grand scheme of things Christians who are overly concerned about whether to work in nonprofit or for-profit businesses, helping professions or business management, have most likely missed the point.  You can spend your entire life looking for occupations that fit well into a “Christian” resume but God’s calling should trump all.  Keep an open mind, follow the call of Christ, and don’t let the negative connotations of a for-profit business inhibit you from living out God’s call in the for-profit world.

 

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Stories In Focus

Coming Up: Bluegrass and Folk CAB Coffeehouse

This upcoming Tuesday in Java 101 the CAB Coffeehouse will feature a bluegrass-focused performance by students Abby Talone, Zach Kitchen, Colleen Winton, and Annie Hassen. These four have been playing music together for some time, including a performance last semester at the alumni coffeehouse that took place during Homecoming weekend. Aside from Coffeehouses, several of the group’s members have also played for Koinonia on Sunday nights.

CoffeehouseThe two hours will feature a variety of instruments. Annie Hassen will be playing the violin, a key element of traditional American folk music. Junior Zach Kitchen will be playing the mandolin, while fellow junior Colleen Winton will be performing on both the acoustic guitar, and also egg shaker. In addition to more traditional folk instruments, Winton will be contributing her whistling skills to the performance. Senior Abby Talone, who is a Koinonia leader, will add her strumming talents, playing on her Martin & Co. acoustic guitar. The four are intending to incorporate a variety of harmonies and vocal styles into their performance to emphasize their “folky feel”, as Talone put it.

The group chose songs that would best showcase their intended sound and create the desired casual and rustic ambiance. The selection of songs they will be covering include songs and artists such as “Flowers in Your Hair” by The Lumineers, “Your Love is Strong” by Jon Foreman, and “Like the Dawn” by the Oh Hellos. Additionally they will cover other artists such as the popular English folk rock band, Mumford and Sons, the Christian acoustic folk band, All Sons and Daughters, and similar folk-based musicians.

This American traditional style of music, or folk music, dates back to the early 1930s, from which it developed into our current genre of “hipster” or “indie” music. However, folk music is an intrinsic part of our history as Americans, as it incorporates elements from both the blues, country, bluegrass, gospel, and old-timey – a picture of how the integration of the American people as a nation began with the integration of music.

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Two Views: Convictions and Compromise

Can a Christian hold convictions strongly, yet at the same time be willing to compromise?

Browsing over the lunches of my second grade classmates, I searched for food items that I thought my taste buds would find more satisfying than the bag of pretzels in front of me. Hmm … we had a small pack of Skittles (an option), a bag of baby carrots (too healthy), some Goldfish (those looked good, but their owner was a girl and girls still had cooties), and an array of other snacks, none of which measured up to my pretzels. So, I decided to eat my pretzels. Into my body they went, part of my body they became. Such is the way with convictions.

coryYour convictions define you. They are a part of you. This is always the case. But there is a hierarchy of convictions. What is it that differentiates the Christian from the non-Christian? It is her fundamental convictions, held by grace. The Christian could not and should not compromise or barter on issues challenging fundamental convictions. However, there is a time to compromise and barter on certain issues; history reminds us of the dangers of thinking otherwise.

The word conviction is derived from the Latin noun convictio, or verb convincere, which translates to “with conquer,” implying that holding convictions involves both a conqueror and a conquered. Holding convictions can do violence. But be not fooled: there is also danger for the disciple of Christ who is unwilling to hold convictions uncompromisingly.

In Romans 8:38-39, Paul says that he is convinced that nothing can separate “us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” He is convinced of this, he holds onto it with certainty. The Christian must have distinguishing fundamental convictions, rooted in the certainty of the love of Jesus, on which she is not willing to compromise or barter. There are also issues that the Christian should be willing to compromise and barter on in order that she does not compromise on a more fundamental conviction within the hierarchy.

Economic theory tells us that a free market economy with pure competition maintains allocative efficiency; that is, goods and services go where they are most desirable. In the same way, if we compromise and barter on all issues, we will end up holding whatever convictions we find most advantageous to us. The Christian should be uncomfortable with bartering on issues that conflict with fundamental convictions. To barter on these issues makes one’s convictions meaningless and turns one into a disciple of self. Instead, Jesus calls us to follow him and be his disciples. If we have no discipline in holding fundamental convictions uncompromisingly, then how are we to be disciples of Christ?

Look at the conquest and evangelization of the Americas that marginalized native peoples. Many people would see this as Christians who were unwilling to compromise and barter on issues with the native people. While I think this is true, I would argue that, at the heart of the matter, it was Christians who were willing to compromise on the fundamental convictions in order to use “evangelization” as a means to power and domination. Because it was advantageous, fundamental convictions were abused. This is the danger of a “free market economy of ideology.”

Because convictions make us who we are, we must never compromise on the fundamental convictions that are inseparable from our Christian identity. We have a table at which we are formed. No, it is not the second grade lunch table. At the Eucharist table we partake of the embodiment of our fundamental convictions. May we always hold to these uncompromisingly.